Wrapped-coin container



June 9, 1931. c. MCLIEAN R 1,809,523

WRAPPED COIN CONTAINER Filed April 26, 1929 in van in 1: 01 arlesztmzean,

wiz'orvey.

Patented June 9, 1931 I D s'mrs "rant" FFICE CHARLES E. MCLEAN, on soU'rn PORTLAND, MAINE wRArrEncoIN CONTAINER Application filed. April 26,

turned to the vaults in these same boxes which, more often than not, are flimsy, cheapw ly constructed afi'airs, lacking durability and requiring frequent replacements.

Storage space in a bank is usually held at a premium, and in the case of these boxes the question generally arises as to where a reserve stock may be kept so as to be conveniently drawn on whenever replacements become necessary.

The present lnvention which deals withim provements in wrapped-coin carrying devices,has as a general objectto provide a box 29 or container preferably although not necessarily constructed of metal and fabricated fromparts in such-a manner as to be collapsible or foldable into a compart form, requiring. when thus compacted comparatively little space in which a' considerable quantity can be stored. s

Another and very specific object ofthe invention resides in the facilities supplied for 1 nesting the boxes when several of them,filled with wrapped coin of various denominations, are beingv transferred either to or from the vault.

This isaccomplished by providing upwardly disposed extensions on the top and at each end of each box whichenter spaces where portions of the bottom of the box is; cut away, making it possible to carry a plurality of tliemin stacked formation without fearthat any will be displaced from the pile, acci- 40 dentally.

Another Jobjectconcerns the method of yieldingly holding the-parts in collapsed form after being folded.

And afurther object pertains tothe simple but effective manner in which the side and end elements ofeachbox are firmly held together when extended, providing a strong and durable container not only; for coinca'rrying but for other purposes.--. The cornerlocking means require no bolts, straps or adcompanying drawings in which is depicted 1929. Serial No. 358,266.

ditional' paraphernalia to transform the device from a substantially flat, compact body when not in use,-to a four sided, open top receptacle when employed for any purpose for which it is adapted. v

The character of the invention may best be understood by reference to the description found in the specification following, especially when taken in connection with the acan illustrative embodiment thereof Which,'at the present time, I consider preferable to other possible forms in which the invention might be carried out.

In the drawing,--,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my collapsiblebox; I r I Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View thereof, showing one end piece partly folded;

Fig. 8 is a transversesectional view of the box showing it completely folded, and

.Fig.4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a plurality of the boxes, showing particu larly' the nesting feature.

Similar reference characters are employed to identify like parts in all views of the drawings. i

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the bottom'of the box having at each side thereof a short upward extension 10 on the top of which is rolled .a hinge 11. Operable on each of the hinges 11 is a side member 12 which may be of any height suitable for the purpose to which the box isto be put.

On each end of the bottom member 10 is a hinge '13 to-which is swingingly secured one of the end members 14, the hinge in this case being arranged so as to allow the end'member to lie substantially flat on the bottom when folded. The object in locating the side hinges in a horizontal plane above the bottom member'is to provide for the sides folding over the end pieces when the box is in collapsed form;

At each of the four corners of the box, on the side members 12, are channelled formations 15 and in respective engagement with these are the flanged portions 16 of the end members 14.

To hold each flange in firm engagement with its mating channel there is provided in each case a tongue 17, sheared from but integral with the side member. These tongues are sprung inwardly and their natural resiliency serves to hold their ends in close contact with the inner face of the end members, providing a very simple and effective lock at the top of each corner of the box.

When it is desired to put the box into folded form, as seen in Fig. 3, the tongues 17 are pressed outwardly into the sheared apertures 17 and the end pieces 14 swung downwardly so that they lie flat onv the bottom member 10; the sides 12 will then, automatically, swing downwardly over the end members through the agency of the torsional springs 18, one of which is secured in each of the side hinges 11, and thus the parts are bound together in compact form without resort to other expedients.

When filled with wrapped coin and it is clesired to transport several of the boxes together they may be stacked, one above the others, and held in place so that none will fall off the pile with ordinary care in handling.

This security against displacement of the boxes from the stack is made possible by employing an extension 19 on each end member 14 which is adapted to engage a space made by interrupting the hinge structure 13the extensions on one box interlocking in the space in the hinge on the box immediately above.

It will be observed that the rolled extension 19 abuts on shoulders 20 and also on the adj acent ends 21 of the hinge 13. Movement-limiting stops are therefore provided against longitudinal and transverse displacement, respectively, of one or more boxes from oil the others.

When completely filled with wrapped coin it is somewhat difficult, with a box as ordinarily constructed, to remove one of the packages. To overcome this difiiculty I provide a small aperture 22 in the bottom member 10 through which access with ones finger may be had to the end package so as to raise it sufliciently to grasp it. The other packages may then be readily removed from the container.

In Fig. 4 is shown a fragmentary sectional elevation of a plurality of boxes illustrating the stacking or nesting feature of the inventionthe packages of different denominations of coin being represented by the dot and dash circles C.

The extensions on one box project slightly into the box immediately above and taken together the engaging elements act to prevent horizontal movement between the boxes.

These collapsible containers may, of course, be made in any length or width to accommodate the commodity which it is proposed to transport in them. If the particular application be handling wrapped coin, the boxes may be made to suit individual denominations thereof, regardless of other denominations. But to be in entire accord with the idea as I have conceived it, a uniform size of box should be established, one, for instance, having a length dimension which would be as nearly as possible a multiple of the diameter of all the denominations of coin. In this way a standard size box, with respect to its length, could be employed and utilized to hold, say, 10 packages of half-dollars, 13 of quarters 15 of nickels or 18 of dimes, with each denomination substantially filling the boxthe numbers above recited being approximate but the tabulation illustrative of the principle involved.

The operative features of the device are so simple that further explanation thereof, it is believed, is not required. 7

It is desired to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be restricted in every mechanical detail to the one embodiment herein disclosed as it is obvious that the device is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the meaning and intent of the invention, as is more specifically brought out in the subjoined claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. A wrapped-coin container comprising in combination, a box having two sides, two end members and a bottom member, an aperture through said bottom member, at each end thereof, providing access to the interior of said container from the under side thereof, a relatively narrow, upwardly extending and centrally disposed portion on the top of each of said end members, and means on said end members co-acting-with means on said bottom member of one container, adaptable, respectively, of engagement with the end and inner surfaces of said centrally disposed portions on a subjacent container, whereby the two containers may be held, relatively,

against horizontal movement in all direc-' tions, when assembled one upon the other.

2. In a device of the character described comprising incombination a. box having two sides, two end members and a bottom member, an aperture in each of said ends, adjacent to and extending upwardly from the said bottom member, an aperture cut in said bottom member, at eachend thereof, opening into but of less width than the said first mentioned aperture, shoulders on each side of said bottom aperture disposed on said bot tom in a vertical plane lying within and transversely of said device, and a member on each of said ends extending upwardly above the normal height of said device, said memher on one of said devices adapted to enter 'the first mentioned aperture in another of said devices superimposed thereon, and by impingement of said member on the sides of said aperture and on the said shoulders on both ends, respectively, of said device, to hold said devices, relatively, against horizontal movement.

3. In a device of the character described comprising in combination abox having two sides, two end members and a bottominember, a centrally arranged aperture in each of said end members extending upwardly from said bottom member, an aperture in each end of said bottom member opening into and located centrally of but of lesser width than said first mentioned aperture, a shoulder on each side of said bottom aperture disposed in a vertical plane lying transversely of said device and inwardly of the outside face of said end member, and'a rolled extension projecting upwardly from the top of each of said end members and above the normal height of said device, said extensions, on one device, adapted to enter, respectively, the said first mentioned apertures in another of said devices disposed in superjacent relation thereto, and abut on each of the sides of said aperture to align said devices transversely,

and on the said shoulders for the purpose of holding the two devices against longitudinal movement, relatively.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES E. MOLEAN. 

